PTSD and non-monogamy

greeneyes

New member
So... I was just curious if there are other folks out there who deal with PTSD, and if so, if your experience of polyamory or other non-monogamy has helped you get through issues? I am not promoting using polyamory as a form of psychotherapy, I am just wondering if there are folks who feel a positive influence. If that makes any sense at all. It might not. :: shrugs ::

Also I would like to know if any folks out there have had a tough time adjusting to polyamory (and/or other forms of non-monogamy) and also have co-occurring, abuse-related and/or trauma-related issues. This sort of thing also makes sense to me, especially from the point of view of a survivor of abuse of different kinds- I mean, it's just the kind of thing that is beaten/raped/coerced into a person, often from a very young age...

I know that this stuff is personal and so I just want to say if you don't feel comfortable sharing as a response here, please feel free to PM me about it.

I am looking for perspective and also want to offer folks an ear if they need it. I know that I need an ear sometimes!

Thanks.
 
That'd be me, then :).

I've been dealing with mild-to-middling PTSD symptoms since last summer, which hit me quite unexpectedly, and are partly connected with dealing with childhood abuse. It's all become more manageable since September, when it was like I spent a month on speed - and I'm taking steps to provide a better environment for myself (for one thing, I need to be living on my own to feel safe enough to relax, and all the PTSD symptoms really kicked in when someone I didn't know moved into the house I was already finding it hard to share with a friend). The only thing I can say for sure about my symptoms and poly is that since they kicked in, I've been much more careful about getting into intimate and/or sexual situations, as I'm much more aware of an ongoing need to make sure I feel safe (safe enough, anyway... sex and intimacy are never safe, let's face it!)

I'd be interested to hear more about your PTSD experience if you're willing to write about it, publicly or privately - I only know one other person who is working through this, and we've been a big help to each other, but he doesn't get the poly thing :).

I've just recently been writing on my ponderings about abuse/poly in my situation, see this thread, which is very relevant to what you're asking above, I think:

http://www.polyamory.com/forum/showthread.php?p=65992

And for sure, I also offer an ear x
 
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